SEOUL // North Korea said its new, young leader Kim Jong-un is married, announcing it for the first time in a brief and routine state TV report yesterday evening.
The report ended weeks of speculation about a beautiful woman who accompanied him to recent public events.
Mr Kim toured an amusement park with his "wife, comrade Ri Sol-ju" on Tuesday, while a crowd cheered for the leader, the speaker said without giving any more details about Ms Ri, including how long they had been married.
Seven months after inheriting the country from his father, Kim Jong-il, the twentysomething leader has been shown in the media several times with the same young woman.
These appearances included a concert where Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters appeared and at tours of various North Korean sites.
While the woman hasn't been identified until now, media and analysts in South Korea were quick to guess that she was his wife.
The short-haired woman was first shown with Mr Kim during a concert in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang on July 5.
She was seen walking next to the leader on July 8 when he visited the mausoleum of his grandfather and the nation's founder Kim Il Sung.
On July 24, photos shown by state television showed her standing close to the new leader during a visit to a kindergarten.
With other officials staying a few steps behind the pair, the woman was seen smiling while standing immediately behind or next to Mr Kim as he hugged and talked to children.
Mr Kim's public appearances with the woman are a striking change from his father's style. Kim Jong-il's 17-year rule was known for its secrecy.
His companions and his children weren't mentioned by state media, including Kim Jong-un, who was virtually unknown before his formal introduction to the world in late 2010.
He is the the third and youngest son of the previous leader of the totalitarian country
The new leader's style is considered more similar to his grandfather, North Korea founder Kim Il-sung, who built homes, parks and schools.
Kim Il-sung was often shown alongside his wife, Kim Jong-suk, and with children in his arms. His grandson has been seen hugging soldiers, posing for photos with troops and linking arms with women.
* With addditional reporting from Agence-France Presse
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Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
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Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
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Red flags
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Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 2 (Willems 25', Shelvey 88')
Manchester City 2 (Sterling 22', De Bruyne 82')
Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
Managing the separation process
- Choose your nursery carefully in the first place
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
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Don’ts
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The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
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Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
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Dubai World Cup nominations
UAE: Thunder Snow/Saeed bin Suroor (trainer), North America/Satish Seemar, Drafted/Doug Watson, New Trails/Ahmad bin Harmash, Capezzano, Gronkowski, Axelrod, all trained by Salem bin Ghadayer
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Stage 2 results
1 Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal 04:18:18
2 Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:00:02
3 Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 00:00:04
4 Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates
5 Rick Zabel (GER) Israel Start-Up Nation
General Classification
1 Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal 07:47:19
2 Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:00:12
3 Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 00:00:16
4 Nikolai Cherkasov (RUS) Gazprom-Rusvelo 00:00:17
5 Alexey Lutsensko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team 00:00:19
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